The next village is a bit larger, having trekked a whole day to reach it. Home to about 450, it has a proper road that leads to Loom, but because we wanted to hit the earlier villages, we kind of took the long way to get here.

The elders are quick to come and greet me. Ah, the typical niceties are exchanged, and we are led to the village’s event hall. Once again, beer, and food flows!

“I’m honestly getting kind of sick of parties.” I whisper to Anne, and she chuckles.

“The villagers are happy, and that’s all that matters?” Adam suggests.

“Well, I guess. Maybe you can be my delegate, next time.”

Both Adam and Anne shrug. “Nahh.”

We start with the usual speech, and then we proceed to have lunch. The villagers, some of them, decide to put up a small performance for us, which feels really awkward. I feel like a politician being entertained at events, again.

And then, one of the dancers caught my attention. She looks like a young girl, about my age, with shoulder length brown hair, and slightly tanned skin. Her body is lean, but toned, as I see the muscles twitch and stretch as she twirls.

Name unknown, Rank 4 Ranger, Level 5, Green.

“Who’s that lady?” I point, to which the elder nods.

“That’s my daughter, milord.” He grins.

And he gives me that disturbing grin.

“...oh.”

I feel my face heat up, but I hold it back. I am a Prince!

“Her name is Sara. She’s a looker, don’t you think? Like her mother.”

I take a better look, as she dances, her face is pretty.

“Ah. Yes.”

“She’s single, and not dating anyone. Would you be interested, Prince Carlos?”

Uh…. what?!

I did not know what to say, so I did not reply. I just stared at the elder, and the elder smiles.

After the performance, the elder beckons her over.

“Sara, meet the prince.”

She nods, and offers her hand. I take it and shake it. “Ah… hi.”

“Ah. Hi…”

The elder smiles. “It should be a hug, Sara.”

“Uh dad…”

“I mean, okay it is your first meeting, but he’s gonna be your future husband!”

Sara blushes, and pushes the elder aside. “Dad! That’s not the kind of thing you should be saying to strangers! Even if they are the Prince.”

The elder smiles, and adjusts Sara such that she faces me again. “Sara dear, remember when you were young, and mom used to read story books to you, about how the prince would save the princess?”

Her face is really red now.

“You used to say, when I grow up, I want to get married to a prince.”

Her face is glowing red. Maybe steaming.

“Well, a prince is right before your eyes, Sara dear. You’ve caught his eyes, because he pointed to me and asked about you!”

She turns to face her dad. “Dad. Stop. Stop embarrassing me.”

“If you’re gonna be a princess, you got to have the courage to stand next to a prince with pride.”

The elder pushes her a bit, such that she stands right in front of me.

“So, introduce yourself again. Like a lady, this time.”

Sara fidgets and twitches. She glances back to her dad, the elder, and he returns with an encouraging nod. It’s like he is saying, “Go on.”

She takes a deep breath, and she bows before, like an attempted curtsey. “Pleased to meet you, Prince Carlos, I am Sara Mielland.”

I freeze. “Ah… ahm.. yeah. Pleased to meet you too.”

She’s still red.

The elder seems pleased with the outcome, and then runs off. “Alright you two, please talk. I’ll go off and let you be now.” He walks away and starts telling everyone not to interfere in our conversation.

I shrug and turn to face Sara. “Are you a ranger?”

“Ah.. ah yes. How’d you know? Sorry about my dad, really. He’s been trying to marry me off for some time.”

I laugh and nod. “It’s from your movement.” I lied! “And I thought you have nice muscles.”

She blushes, and tries to cover her muscles. But because of the somewhat skimpy dressing of the dance, she can’t.

“Ah.” I forgot how ladies react to mentions of their muscles. “I mean, you look really nice in this dress.”

She blushes. Her face turns red again… but after an awkward 5 seconds she looks up and asks. “Really?”

“Yes.”

She smiles, and her skirts twirl a little.

“So… you are a ranger?”

“Ah.. yes, yes I am. My dad doesn’t like it though, he thinks I should be a lady, like my mom…”

“I see. But you are quite good at ranger stuff, or not?”

She sighs, “Ah yes. I think I am. I think.”

“Good. Ever thought of joining my royal guard?”

She pauses. “...really?”

“Yes. Join me. Come with me, I need you.” I offer my hand.

She pauses, but then she blushes. “You know… I thought this would be a bit more... erm… romantic. But it's actually just recruitment...”

“Huh?” Sara is still giving me that look.

“I… I will think about it. Give me a day.”

“Okay.”

At which point, Adam comes over. “The food’s almost finished…”

“Ah yes.”

“Oh hi.” Adam smiles at Sara, and Anne follows behind.

I introduce the two. Anne smiles and squeezes my arm.

Sara bows and walk away.

“So… you recruited her?” Anne looks at me.

“Yeah. She did not give me an answer, yet.”

“She’s cute.” Adam says, “But I think she will punch you if you hurt her.”

I shrug. Anne chuckles.

The party wraps up, Anne and the men help to clean up, and I hang around the village, walking and talking to the villagers, while Adam accompanies me as my bodyguard.

“It’s nice, these villages, there’s a rustic, warm charm to them, and the air here feels clean and fresh.”

Adam nods, we walk along the lakeside. There’s a pleasant breeze from the lake.

“It’s worth protecting.” One day, pollution, technological change will destroy such rustic livestyles. If this world goes through the same process of industrialisation, globalisation and economic concentration as my own, much of these quaint villages are going to go away.

Adam pauses, and looks at me funny. “Yes… Yes it is.”

“The world will change. And the way lives were lived, will not be the same.” Some day, somebody’s going to create electricity, perhaps augmented with the magic that exists in this world, and printing press, and perhaps the internet.

“Really?”

“It may be others, it may be ourselves. But change is inevitable.”

Adam stops, and looks at me. “Prince?”

“Yes?” I turn back to glance at Adam. 40%

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